soI Know I Was Stupid, but Now What Do I Do....

[pcsharon1]

Okay, so I did a dumb thing. I had a customer at a show in early September that was really excited about the cookware but couldn't outright buy it. I told her she could have show and she wanted to but couldn't pull it together by the end of the month. I suggested a catalog show, which she was excited about. So around September 20 I started calling her to close the show, telling her I was leaving town on the 27th and needed to close her show before I left. She kept having me call her back the next day and was like "well, I hadn't planned on closing until the end of the month and you are rushing me" So I go ahead and leave town and call her every other day while I am gone, leaving messages and never getting a response. I finally get her when I get home - October 14th and she says she is waiting on one more order because she hasn't been able to reach one person, the person she booked from. I said, I'll call her. So I called, got that order - which was $100 by the way - call her back and get her other orders - which only totalled $125. So it was a $200 catalog show that I practically busted my butt for. The past hostess paid by credit card but everyone else was paying by check. This woman lives 50 miles away and I was closing her show on Oct 15 - it had to go in that day. She says I have everything right here and it's ready to go in the mail.

So, I - like the idiot I apparently am - tell her to mail me the checks, I will have them by Friday, Oct 17th at the latest and I went ahead and sent in her order, putting $209 on my debit card. Well, you guessed it - she has her stuff and I still don't have payment.

What do I do? I have started contacting the customers individually, there were only three and the hostess herself, but the hostess swears that she has mailed me money twice now and won't talk to me anymore. I'm at a loss. Anyone with a suggestion?

 

[Chef Kearns]

Get everyone to cancel the checks they wrote (cover any fees), then ask them to get money orders and individual mail you the payment for their order. Let the host know to do the same (by email if she's not taking your calls). Give her a deadline and let her know that you will have to pursue other channels if you cannot come to an agreement with her.

In the future...do not take checks!!! Have the host pay you with debit/credit card for anyone who paid by check or cash and her order. Then you can submit right away. If she balks tell her that you can accept a MO. That should save you ALOT of headache!!

 

[vwpamperedchef]

Well, luckily it wasn't a $1000 show. Still $200 is a big enough amount and for sure you learned your lesson.

If there is a next time, and you're under a deadline crunch there is a few things you can do.

1. If you put the money out for everyone, have the order shipped In c/o to your address. This way if you do not get paid, then you can return everything.
2. Accept only credit card as form of payment, or explain that they will be able to only receive the next month's special.
3. I personally, never, ever put in money for someone else's order, let alone show. One, because I work hard for my money and I deserve better. Secondly, if they are that concerned about 60% off cookware then she would have closed her show sooner.

I wish you the best as you rectify the situation. Its a valuable lesson learned, and a costly one, which hopefully comes out positive.

You could also send her a certified letter with signature. Sometimes it isn't much but gets them moving a little more.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[janetupnorth]

Call HO and explain the situation in case she calls in.Did she say who the checks were written out to?I find it fishy that she claims to have mailed you other peoples' checks twice...

 

[muffetts]

If you are waiting for money, simply have the show shipped to you - people will want their things, and you can hold them for ransom! Once you have payment, you will deliver.

 

[pcsharon1]

I thought the same credit card could only be used for two orders at most. The hostess says she mailed me the checks. Then she told me last week that she would mail me checks but she had to wait until Thursday to mail them because she didn't have the money - that was fishy to me because if I never cashed her check to begin with, there should be money. Then one of the customers told me that she had paid last week and had been told by the hostess it was mailed to me on Thursday.

As for keeping the items until I am paid - they already have them. They have had them for two weeks now. And she isn't answering emails either. How much will it cost for me to mail a certified letter, does anyone know?

 

[Chef Kearns]

I only put the card number in 1 time under the host's name in the amount of the charges.

Her total may be $50, but the amount due is $348. I pt $348 in as the amount instead of her $50. One card, one charge.

 

[pcsharon1]

Ah, sneaky, sneaky! I like it. Thanks for the heads up on that one.

 

[babywings76]

Can you call each guest and say that you haven't received payment. That the host says she mailed them but you haven't gotten them. Maybe they are "lost in the mail" or something, but either way...they know you haven't cashed them. So they should be willing to write you a new check and they can even cancel the old one if they are worried you would cash a second one (if it should ever surface).

 

[pcsharon1]

The one guest I have spoken with informed me that she was told by the hostess that the checks had been mailed and I just needed to be patient and wait! I was like.........you have your stuff......you've had it for two weeks.

You know if this were the other way around and I had cashed their checks three weeks ago and they didn't have their stuff yet I would never hear the end of it.

 

[chefann]

Were the checks actually cashed? Who did the guests make them out to? Can you ask the guests for copies of their cancelled checks? That would prove who they were written to and could provide clues as to who cashed them (if you got copies of the backs, too). If the host cashed them herself then you can take her to court for theft.

 

[babywings76]

The one guest I have spoken with informed me that she was told by the hostess that the checks had been mailed and I just needed to be patient and wait! I was like.........you have your stuff......you've had it for two weeks.

You know if this were the other way around and I had cashed their checks three weeks ago and they didn't have their stuff yet I would never hear the end of it.

I would call them all again. Tell them that you don't mean to be a bother, but two weeks have come and gone and you still haven't received the checks. You aren't accusing the host of anything, for all you know they got "lost in the mail" or something. Either way, you need to be paid. You footed the bill on good faith that you would be reimbursed. They have their products, and it's only right that you get their payment. You haven't cashed them, they can double check with their bank. You were helping out your host by submitting the show before getting the checks. Now a lot of time has gone by and you are getting concerned. They need to send you a new check, and if the other checks arrive, you will tear them up or they can cancel the original ones.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Good words Amanda! Very diplomatic.

 

[chefsteph07]

I only put the card number in 1 time under the host's name in the amount of the charges.

Her total may be $50, but the amount due is $348. I pt $348 in as the amount instead of her $50. One card, one charge.

Wow, that's a great idea!
Why haven't I thought of that???? LOL

 

[paigev71]

It wouldn't let me reply with quote. A certified letter is around $5. I usually costs about $3 something for the certified part and about $1.50 or so for the return receipt to come back to you in the mail with the signature. They could have gone up since the last one I did, but I wouldn't think by much.

 

[pcsharon1]

Re: So I know I was stupid, but now what do I do....UPDATE:grumpy:Okay, just to catch everyone up - the hostess finally mailed me the checks for two of her customers. The postmark on the letter was November 5th and it contained checks that were dated for September and she swore had already been mailed and were lost by the postoffice! But anyway..........

The third customer I spoke with today, was very happy to talk to me and told me how much she loved our products and couldn't wait for another show and she asked for my address to send me a money order. She told me she had tried to pay the hostess and had been told that the money had to be given directly to me.

As for the hostess, she told me - in an all caps, nasty email - that she had better things to do than steal my money and that if I would just check my mail, which I refused to do according to her, I would see that all of the money was there - this email was sent the morning of November 5th and the envelope with the first two payments was postmarked the evening of November 5th, so it was an untrueth from the beginning. She also told me she was going to meet me and return the products to me rather than pay for them because she simply wanted "all of this to be done". However, now I can't get her to answer any of my contacts as to when and where to meet.

At least I have gotten most of my money back and it is only the hostess who is refusing to pay me at this point. I did call PC home office and let them know what was going on in the unlikely event that she call them herself. I wasn't asking them for any help, simply to make note on the show of what was going on, which they did.

I'm wondering is she would respond better if I simply called home office and had them send FedEx to pick up her stuff. I am thinking since it is coming from home office maybe she will go ahead and give it to them and then I can just have that money credited back to me. Any thoughts?

 

[crystalscookingnow]

I would do the certified letter. Don't ask HO to pick up the products b/c she'll probably just claim that she didn't receive the call tag. As long as the guests that you have spoken with are happy and it's only the host that isn't, it's on her head.

 

[LCOLACHICO]

Okay, so I did a dumb thing. I had a customer at a show in early September that was really excited about the cookware but couldn't outright buy it. I told her she could have show and she wanted to but couldn't pull it together by the end of the month. I suggested a catalog show, which she was excited about. So around September 20 I started calling her to close the show, telling her I was leaving town on the 27th and needed to close her show before I left. She kept having me call her back the next day and was like "well, I hadn't planned on closing until the end of the month and you are rushing me" So I go ahead and leave town and call her every other day while I am gone, leaving messages and never getting a response. I finally get her when I get home - October 14th and she says she is waiting on one more order because she hasn't been able to reach one person, the person she booked from. I said, I'll call her. So I called, got that order - which was $100 by the way - call her back and get her other orders - which only totalled $125. So it was a $200 catalog show that I practically busted my butt for. The past hostess paid by credit card but everyone else was paying by check. This woman lives 50 miles away and I was closing her show on Oct 15 - it had to go in that day. She says I have everything right here and it's ready to go in the mail.

So, I - like the idiot I apparently am - tell her to mail me the checks, I will have them by Friday, Oct 17th at the latest and I went ahead and sent in her order, putting $209 on my debit card. Well, you guessed it - she has her stuff and I still don't have payment.

What do I do? I have started contacting the customers individually, there were only three and the hostess herself, but the hostess swears that she has mailed me money twice now and won't talk to me anymore. I'm at a loss. Anyone with a suggestion?

OK you are not an idiot !!! U were simply trying to be nice and helpful and you so got taken advantage of !!!! Don't let her allow u to feel like this is all your fault. The fault that you have is "being to nice" !!! :blushing:If that is a fault !! Now days people are so RUDE and untrustworthy ... Not everyone.. but please .. why can't people own up to what is asked of them, esp in business... U know what really grips me is that people can't buy something at walmart and send the check weeks later... payment is due at the time of service.. so I feel in our business when we are trying to help someone out 7/10 we are being taken for.. Their are few who are Truthful and come through...

I am so sorry that this has happened to you, and I sincerely hope that it all pans out.. I think that your idea to have home office send a pick up is a Great Idea !!! Call her bluff and let her stew in it for a min.. Then see what happens..

Let us know

 

[thecougchef]

I thought the same credit card could only be used for two orders at most. The hostess says she mailed me the checks. Then she told me last week that she would mail me checks but she had to wait until Thursday to mail them because she didn't have the money - that was fishy to me because if I never cashed her check to begin with, there should be money. Then one of the customers told me that she had paid last week and had been told by the hostess it was mailed to me on Thursday.

As for keeping the items until I am paid - they already have them. They have had them for two weeks now. And she isn't answering emails either. How much will it cost for me to mail a certified letter, does anyone know?

i had a show where the host wanted to put everything on her american express (for the points) and everyone just wrote their checks to her. so the american express was charged for 6 separate orders. i had no problems. i dont know if that was wrong. but the show has long since shipped & i have 6 happy customers

 

[candiejayne]

after reading this I think I have decided to just have all orders just shipped to me. then i can package everything up for each customer, and can add a friendly little thank you note with maybe the next months hostess flyer in it. So far none of my shows are far away, well except one 1500 miles away, but it's my best friend in another state. It will take a little extra work on my part, but then I will know for sure that everything came correct. Then I can deliever everything to the hosts!

 

[pcchefjane]

after reading this I think I have decided to just have all orders just shipped to me. then i can package everything up for each customer, and can add a friendly little thank you note with maybe the next months hostess flyer in it. So far none of my shows are far away, well except one 1500 miles away, but it's my best friend in another state. It will take a little extra work on my part, but then I will know for sure that everything came correct. Then I can deliever everything to the hosts!

This is what I already do for my Shows. I have not had any "really big ones" that are all the Host's so I just have it sent to me. That way, I can put in nice handmade thank you notes to each customer and they feel very special! I sometimes add "outside orders" that I get just to me onto a Show to boost it up to the next level. Course now that I am working on Disney, I WILL have bigger and bigger shows, so this may not be an easy option eventually!

 

[candiejayne]

I haven't had my first show close yet for PC, but in the past I was with another DA company and saw problems with shipping to the host. I think I'll give it a try, especially since my first few shows are family and friends who live within 25 miles of me!

 

[pcsharon1]

No, no, no - one of the things I love about PC is that I don't have to deliver. I don't know all of my customers personally and I don't see them regularly like their host does. And that is part of what the host gets such great benefits for. I have done over 200 shows and I have had so few problems with people getting their products from the hosts ( maybe only 3-4 times in all those shows) that I would never switch to having it shipped to me. I only do 2-5 shows a month right now, but if I wanted to do more, say 2-3 a week then I would definitely not want to be delivering that.

But, from now on if I have any doubt about a payment or the payment has not reached me when I want to submit the show, I will have it delivered to me just to protect my money.

Even with having gotten money from all of the guests finally, still not having over $60 from the hostess completely wiped out my commission from her $200 catalog show and then some. I still haven't given up though - I'm so angry about her basically accusing me of having her money and just trying to get more from her while she was lying about having sent it in the first place, that I am not letting this go until I just can't stand it anymore.

 

[wadesgirl]

No, no, no - one of the things I love about PC is that I don't have to deliver. I don't know all of my customers personally and I don't see them regularly like their host does. And that is part of what the host gets such great benefits for. I have done over 200 shows and I have had so few problems with people getting their products from the hosts ( maybe only 3-4 times in all those shows) that I would never switch to having it shipped to me. I only do 2-5 shows a month right now, but if I wanted to do more, say 2-3 a week then I would definitely not want to be delivering that.

But, from now on if I have any doubt about a payment or the payment has not reached me when I want to submit the show, I will have it delivered to me just to protect my money.

Even with having gotten money from all of the guests finally, still not having over $60 from the hostess completely wiped out my commission from her $200 catalog show and then some. I still haven't given up though - I'm so angry about her basically accusing me of having her money and just trying to get more from her while she was lying about having sent it in the first place, that I am not letting this go until I just can't stand it anymore.

I agree with you on the delivery stuff! I haven't read the whole thread but read the first issue.

I close all my shows over the phone with my hosts. I coach them after their show to have all checks wrote out to them or to get debit or cc numbers from their guests. Then I get one large payment from them over the phone by debit card or credit card. I have done over 130 shows this way with no issues. I have had a few who don't have any cards who have given me blank checks the night of their show.

With catalog shows, I do it all over the phone also the same way. The host just pays me for anyone who didn't give a card number.

 

[candiejayne]

I wouldn't want to deliever it to all the customers, just one delievery to the host and he/she can then take over...

 

[BarefootCook]

hi all.I am a new consultant and feel like I have sooo much to learn! I guess my delivery methods will depend on each party? I think if the host did the invites, then she knows the people fairly well? I am thinking of going with Andreas way.I did a show for my small family, and each paid their own way.Some had to be shipped out state because they were visiting, so I got the experience of that.I have done all of my tests read my material, feels like a hundred times! Tonight, I get to watch a show from a pro! I am so excited because I want to jump right in, but I have a issue with "my comfort zones" right now..I think tonight will be a HUGE advantage for me.Thanks for having such a great forum to help the newbies

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I agree with you on the delivery stuff! I haven't read the whole thread but read the first issue.

I close all my shows over the phone with my hosts. I coach them after their show to have all checks wrote out to them or to get debit or cc numbers from their guests. Then I get one large payment from them over the phone by debit card or credit card. I have done over 130 shows this way with no issues. I have had a few who don't have any cards who have given me blank checks the night of their show.

With catalog shows, I do it all over the phone also the same way. The host just pays me for anyone who didn't give a card number.

I do it this way too. Always have, and always will!

If I had to do deliveries to all of my customers for all of my shows - I would be on the road every day of the week! Plus, my customer base is all over West Michigan, and I drive 45 min to an hour for many of my shows - then to have to turn around and deliver to 15 guests who ordered at the shows? I don't think so!

I am in this business so that I DON'T have to go to work every day - not to make even more work for myself! The Pampered Chef has the products delivered to the host for a very good reason - to make the job simpler for the consultant. If prospective recruits see you doing all of the deliveries, you can be sure that is going to turn most of them off!

 

[janetupnorth]

I just read the update. 1. I hope you copied the envelope and the checks before you cashed them and keep them with a copy of the e-mail.2. Call HO and tell them the update and what the host wants. Make the HOST call HO to return her products and get her money back.What nerve that lady has!

 

[linojackie]

I just read the update.

1. I hope you copied the envelope and the checks before you cashed them and keep them with a copy of the e-mail.

2. Call HO and tell them the update and what the host wants. Make the HOST call HO to return her products and get her money back.

What nerve that lady has!

But that way, couldn't HO refund the money to her when she never really paid for it in the first place? I have had HO issue a refund directly to the customer even when it came through my debit card, and I would imagine they would do it the same way here when the host is supposedly unhappy with the consultant.

 

[mscharf]

Andrea, this might seem logical, but wait until you have a show that comes with 15 boxes (I know you are new, this might not have happened yet, but it will). HO is great about making sure it is all correct. I just mail the hostess the official receipts (I guess you could include specials too). Just a thought...

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I often have the show shipped to em to sort any show over $700 its a courtesy to my host BUT she has to pick it up from me.....
in a few cases I'm glad I have one time I had an extra set of cookware delivered, not sure the host would have admitted that!!

 

[candiejayne]

15 boxes? what amount of money does a show have to be 15? yikes! When I had my own show as the host, it was over $800 plus all of my free stuff, and the specials and 50% offs, and it was only 3 boxes! Guess I didn't think of that, but I also have 2 trucks that I can use anytime I need them. I still think I'm going to try this for a while.

 

[pcchefjane]

Right now my Shows have been a "mixed bag" of orders...some from the Host, some from myself, etc. I have also added my KITK items to the last several Shows I have done. That is why it is easier to send to me for now. If it was $1,000+ and all from the people the Host knows, I would definitely have it sent to her! LOL!

 

[pcsharon1]

I have made HO aware of what is going on and had a note put on her show that she has not paid me. So hopefully they wouldn't refund her money directly to her with that note on there - I didn't even consider that because I have never had anyone return their stuff for a refund. Who would? It's PC! We've got great stuff!

Anyway, the hostess has said she will meet me on Monday evening so I can pick up the products. I haven't decided if I am going to return them or just keep them at this point - I am the one that paid for them after all and it's an executive family skillet! However, she refused to respond to me at all until I sent her a message saying I was going to show up on her doorstep to either get my money or the products today if I didn't hear from her. And if she ditches me for the meeting on Monday, that is where I will be headed.

 

[lockhartkitchen]

If the host herself has not paid you, which it sounds, you have an option that will definitely get her attention: My husband had someone who didn't pay for their computer services $65. My husband went to the police, it is theft of services. You send her a certified letter (they don't have to have signed it-for this to work), The letter (and the law) gives them 10 days to make payment (money order, cash, etc>) or they will be arrested and charged with theft of services. We got the money on day 9. Some people don't care.

 

[pcsharon1]

So, to update.....I met the hostess tonight and got her product back from her and now I am on the phone with the SC - well, make that on HOLD with the solution center, no call back option and I've been on hold for an hour and a half - trying to return the products and get my money back. I am sitting on hold because I think I am calling on the last possible day for a refund. I emailed them just in case but I am going to sit on the hold a bit longer.

Anyway, she actually said to me "I'm so sorry about this whole situation" and went on to say somethings that ended up being she just didn't have the money to send me and she was so sorry and she was planning to order some stuff in the next few months when she got her money straight. I couldn't believe it - she just yelled at me last week that she had sent me payment twice and I was just keeping it and trying to get her to send me more.

I'm thinking multiple personalities.....anyone else have any ideas?

 

[candiejayne]

wow! I'm glad that you atleast got the product back! I can't believe that she actually admitted that it was her fault though! Did you ever get all of the guest resolved?

 

[tlag1986]

Some people just have less than high morals. I would be overwhelmed with guilt if I tried to do this to a consultant of any kind.

I am happy you got the product, and wish you did not have to go through all this in the first place. Make this a learning lesson, then Bless and Release.

 

[chefann]

Anyway, she actually said to me "I'm so sorry about this whole situation" and went on to say somethings that ended up being she just didn't have the money to send me and she was so sorry and she was planning to order some stuff in the next few months when she got her money straight. I couldn't believe it - she just yelled at me last week that she had sent me payment twice and I was just keeping it and trying to get her to send me more.

I'm thinking multiple personalities.....anyone else have any ideas?

She was probably embarassed that she didn't have the money, and reacted by trying to bully you. She may not have meant it. That reaction is related to "fight or flight" when people are under stress of some sort. And it's possible that bullying has worked for her in similar situations (telling the gas company that "the check is in the mail").

I'm glad you were able to get the truth from her finally.

 

[pcsharon1]

I agree. I really didn't think she was a bad person and I still don't. I felt that money was the issue and that is why I was trying so hard to help her get the product that she wanted. I guess because I was trying so hard to help her that I just assumed she would be thankful and not abuse it. Lesson learned. Like I said before - this is pretty much a first in all of the shows I have done over the years. I don't do this full time, well, I haven't in the past but still 200 shows is a lot to not have problems with.

FedEx picked up the pan today and I am getting a refund to my debit card. As of now there is only one guest who hasn't paid yet and I really think she will, she just seems a little flighty and I'm going to have to keep calling and reminding her. I really don't think she's a problem. Even if she is I'm much happier to be out her $37 than the entire show which was $206 that I was out of for a month.

I got lucky with FedEx too. I got the products back and made the call on day 30 so shipping was still covered.

 

[Kelly8]

Okay, so I did a dumb thing. I had a customer at a show in early September that was really excited about the cookware but couldn't outright buy it. I told her she could have show and she wanted to but couldn't pull it together by the end of the month. I suggested a catalog show, which she was excited about. So around September 20 I started calling her to close the show, telling her I was leaving town on the 27th and needed to close her show before I left. She kept having me call her back the next day and was like "well, I hadn't planned on closing until the end of the month and you are rushing me" So I go ahead and leave town and call her every other day while I am gone, leaving messages and never getting a response. I finally get her when I get home - October 14th and she says she is waiting on one more order because she hasn't been able to reach one person, the person she booked from. I said, I'll call her. So I called, got that order - which was $100 by the way - call her back and get her other orders - which only totalled $125. So it was a $200 catalog show that I practically busted my butt for. The past hostess paid by credit card but everyone else was paying by check. This woman lives 50 miles away and I was closing her show on Oct 15 - it had to go in that day. She says I have everything right here and it's ready to go in the mail.

So, I - like the idiot I apparently am - tell her to mail me the checks, I will have them by Friday, Oct 17th at the latest and I went ahead and sent in her order, putting $209 on my debit card. Well, you guessed it - she has her stuff and I still don't have payment.

What do I do? I have started contacting the customers individually, there were only three and the hostess herself, but the hostess swears that she has mailed me money twice now and won't talk to me anymore. I'm at a loss. Anyone with a suggestion?

I just had a similar experience with a host owing $353.00! To make a very long story short-I had my director call and tell her that she is upper level management with The Pampered Chef. She is, so we're not lying, but of course that sounds so much more authoratative than what it really is. To shorten the story even more, the host was caught in several lies by my director about me. Then the co-host of the show called my director quite upset but calmed down when my director pointed out discrepensies. After a chat with the co-host, who by now is more frustrated with the host, she agreed to pay my director the remaining amount so I will get my money finally. So my advice is to have your director call on your account. It will rattle the host a little if she thinks you "reported" her to the company.